Supporting means for folding doors

ABSTRACT

A pivot pin block adjustably mounted in an overhead track having a recessed slot into which a pivot pin with an enlarged head mounted on the top of a folding door is adapted to fit and a sliding lock member mounted on the block and coacting with the track to positively lock the pivot pin in place.

United States Patent inventor Leonard E. Johnson, Jr.

7 Susquehanna Road, Elkhart, Ind. 46514 Nov. 19, 1969 June 8, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented SUPPORTING MEANS FOR FOLDING DOORS 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 160/206, l6/l 51 Int. Cl E05d 15/26 Field of Search l60/206, 199, 118; l6/l51 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,096,539 7/1963 Dickinson, et al. 16/15 IX 3, l 87,800 6/ l 965 Kirby 160/206 3,335,785 8/1967 Anderson et a] 16/15 I X Primary Examiner-Dennis L. Taylor Attorney-James L. OBrien ABSTRACT: A pivot pin block adjustably mounted in an overhead track having a recessed slot into which a pivot pin with an enlarged head mounted on the top of a folding door is adapted to fit and a sliding lock member mounted on the block and coacting with the track to positively lock the pivot pin in place.

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR FOLDING DOORS The present invention is an improvement over my earlier folding door supporting means disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,206,794 issued Sept. 21, 1965 or the supporting means in U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,785 to Anderson et al. issued Aug. 15, I967. As shown in my earlier patent, a slotted pivot bracket is mounted in an overhead track to receive a pivot pin mounted on the top of a folding door. A special jamb bracket engages the bottom pivot pin in such a way that a large clearance is not required between the top of the door and the overhead track to permit the door to be installed. However, in my earlier device, the top pivot bracket was not readily adjustable and there was nothing to prevent the pivot pin from being dislodged from its mounting. Anderson et al. discloses a spring for yieldably retaining a pivot pin in a pivot bracket.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a supporting means for a folding door which is readily adjustable and having a positive locking means which is easily actuated without special tools to permit a door to be easily installed or removed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a folding door mounted in a doorway on the supporting means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is s sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views taken along lines 4-4, 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7 respectively of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of FIG. 3 showing the position of parts in the unlocked position.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, numeral 10 designates a folding door having hinged panels 12 and 14 mounted in a doorway 16 on a supporting means 18 having a pivot block 20 slidably mounted in an overhead track 22 which has a base member 24 and spaced depending side members 26 and 28 having inwardly extending flanges 30 and 32 respectively formed thereon. Pivot block 20 is fonned with an upper surface 34 and a lower surface 36 respectively engaging said base member 24 and said flanges 30 and 32. The upper surface 34 being framed with a bifurcated end portion 38, 38 and an abutment end portion 40 separated by an intermediate depressed portion 42. A vertically extending two section slotted opening 44 is formed in block 20 with the first section 46 opening at the end of block 20 below the abutment end portion 40. First section 46 has a predetermined width greater than the predetermined width of the second section 48 into which the first section opens. A recess 50 is formed in the intermediate depressed portion 42 around second section 48.

A slide member 52 is mounted on pivot block 20 and is formed with a cap portion 54 which is slidably mounted on the intermediate depressed portion 42. A stem 56 connected to the cap 54 is slidably disposed within the bifurcations 38, 38'. An arcuate wall 58 is formed on the cap 54 to define a downwardly opening chamber 60 having an open side 62 of predetermined width equal to or greater than the width of recess 50. An actuating arm 64 depends from stem 56 and is provided with abutments 66 and 68 to respectively engage the lower surfaces of flanges 30 and 32. The actuating arm 64 is readily available to move the slide member 52 between the base member 24 and the intermediate depressed portion 42 from a locked position, as shown in FIG. 3, where wall 58 overlies recess 50 and second section 48 to an unlocked position, as shown in FIG. 8, where chamber 60 overlies recess 50 and second section 48.

A pivot pin 70 is secured to the top of door panel 12 by means of a plate 72 anchored with suitable screws 74. Pivot pin 70 is formed with a shaft portion 76 which terminates in an enlarged head 78. Shaft 76 is sized to fit in the second section 48 of the slotted opening 44 and head 78 is adopted to fit in recess 50. With slide 52 in the unlocked position, pivot pin 70 is installed in pivot block 18 by passing the pin 70 through the two section slotted openings 44 to bring head 78 into chamber 60. The pm 70 IS then lowered to position head 78 in recess 50. Slide 52 may then be moved to the locked position wherein wall 58 overlies recess 50 to hold head 78 in the recess.

Clamping members 80 and 82 connected by a screw 84 adjustably clamps pivot block 18 to the flanges 30 and 32 formed on track 22.

A guide 86 is mounted on top of door panel 14 by means of a plate 88 and screws 90. Guide 86 rides within track 22 and when the door panels 12 and 14 are in the closed, planar position, the guide 86 is secured in a yieldable bifurcated member 92 which is adjustably clamped to flanges 30 and 32 by means of clamp members 94 and 96 and screw 98.

It will thus be apparent that folding door 10 may be mounted and positively locked in position by readily accessi ble means and may also be readily removed when desired. Although only one embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it will be readily apparent that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. Supporting means for folding doors having first and second hinged door panels, comprising an overhead track formed with a base member and spaced depending side members having inwardly extending flanges, a pivot block slidably mounted in said track with the upper and lower surfaces of said block respectively engaging said base member and said flanges, said upper surface being formed with a bifurcated end portion and an abutment end portion separated by an intermediate depressed portion, a vertically extending two section slotted opening formed in said block with the first section having a predetermined width greater than the predetermined width of said second section, a recess formed in said intermediate surface around said second section, a slide member mounted on said pivot block and having a cap portion slidably mounted on said intermediate depressed portion, a stem connected to said cap portion and slidably disposed within said bifurcated end portion, wall means on said cap portion defining a chamber having an open side of predetermined width, an actuating arm depending from said stern and adapted to engage the lower surface of said flanges on said track for moving said slide member from a locked position wherein said wall means overlies said recess to an unlocked position wherein said chamber overlies said recess, a pivot pin mounted on said first panel and having an enlarged head, said pivot pin being adapted for passage through said two section slotted opening to bring said enlarged head into said chamber when said slide is in the unlocked position whereby said head may be lowered into said recess, said slide when moved to locked position being disposed with the wall means overlying said recess to prevent said head from being removed from said recess, means for securing said pivot block in position on said track,

and a guide mounted on said second panel and slidably disposed in said overhead track.

2. The supporting means of claim 1 wherein a resilient bifurcated receptacle mounted in said track a predetermined distance from said block to receive said guide. 

1. Supporting means for folding doors having first and second hinged door panels, comprising an overhead track formed with a base member and spaced depending side members having inwardly extending flanges, a pivot block slidably mounted in said track with the upper and lower surfaces of said block respectively engaging said base member and said flanges, said upper surface being formed with a bifurcated end portion and an abutment end portion separated by an intermediate depressed portion, a vertically extending two section slotted opening formed in said block with the first section having a predetermined width greater than the predetermined width of said second section, a recess formed in said intermediate surface around said second section, a slide member mounted on said pivot block and having a cap portion slidably mounted on said intermediate depressed portion, a stem connected to said cap portion and slidably disposed within said bifurcated end portion, wall means on said cap portion defining a chamber having an open side of predetermined width, an actuating arm depending from said stem and adapted to engage the lower surface of said flanges on said track for moving said slide member from a locked position wherein said wall means overlies said recess to an unlocked position wherein said chamber overlies said recess, a pivot pin mounted on said first panel and having an enlarged head, said pivot pin being adapted for passage through said two section slotted opening to bring said enlarged head into said chamber when said slide is in the unlocked position whereby said head may be lowered into said recess, said slide when moved to locked position being disposed with the wall means overlying said recess to prevent said head from being removed from said recess, means for securing said pivot block in position on said track, and a guide mounted on said second panel aNd slidably disposed in said overhead track.
 2. The supporting means of claim 1 wherein a resilient bifurcated receptacle mounted in said track a predetermined distance from said block to receive said guide. 